Nate Dogg | Hip-hop singer, 41

Posted: March 17, 2011

Nate Dogg, 41, a singer whose near monotone crooning anchored some of rap's most seminal songs and helped define the sound of West Coast hip-hop, died Tuesday in Los Angeles of complications from multiple strokes he had suffered in recent years.

Nate Dogg wasn't a rapper, but he was an integral figure in the genre: His deep voice wasn't particularly melodic, but its tone - at times menacing, at times playful, yet always charming - provided just the right touch on hits including Warren G's "Regulate," 50 Cent's "21 Questions," Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode," and countless others.

While Nate Dogg, whose real name was Nathaniel D. Hale, provided hooks for rappers from coast to coast, the Long Beach, Calif., native was best known for his contributions to the West Coast soundtrack provided by the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, and more. Nate Dogg was even part of a "supergroup" featuring Snoop Dogg and Warren G, called 213.

After word of his death spread, tributes poured in on Twitter. "We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb. One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met," Snoop Dogg tweeted Tuesday night.